The present invention relates to certain aralkyl thio, sulfinyl or sulfonyl acrylates and their use as fungicides and algicides. In particular, I have found that the sulfinyl and sulfonyl derivatives of this invention show a particularly broad spectrum of fungicidal activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,437,685 discloses compounds of the formula: EQU RSO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CX.sub.2 Y
wherein R represents benzyl or alkyl containing up to and including 12 carbon atoms, X represents halogen (which the specification limits to chlorine and bromine), and Y is a carboxylic acid derived group such as carboxyl, represented by the formula --COOH; nitrile, represented by the formula --CN; lower alkoxycarbonyl (carboxylic acid ester), represented by the formula --COOR.sub.1 ; or carbamoyl represented by the formula --CONH.sub.2, where R.sub.1 represents alkyl containing up to and including four carbon atoms, which are useful as pesticides for the control of various insects, mites, fish bacteria, fungi, gastropods and plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,119 discloses a process for the preparation of alpha, beta unsaturated sulfones of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is alkyl having 1-18 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl having 1-18 carbon atoms, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl having up to 6 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic radical; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl or acyl radical; and X is an electron withdrawing stablizing group such as: --CN, --COOR, --COOH, --COOM, --CONH.sub.2, --COHNR, --CONRR, --SO.sub.2 R, --SO.sub.2 OR, --SO.sub.2 OR, --NO.sub.2, --CHO AND --COR, where M is a cation. The sulfones produced thereby are disclosed as having "bioactive properties" which exhibit biological activity particularly in controlling microorganisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,482 discloses microbiologically active sulfinyl or sulfonyl 1-chloracrylic acid amides of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; R.sub.2 represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, or a cycloalkyl bound directly or by way of an alkylene bridge member, or a benzyl or phenyl radical which is unsubstituted or at most tri-substituted in the aromatic nucleus, and x represents the number 1 or 2. Alkyl radicals R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are straight-chain or branched-chain hydrocarbon radicals, preferably ones having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, such as the methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl or tert-butyl radical. By cycloalkyl in the general formula is meant the following radicals: cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl. The alkylene bridge for cycloalkyl radicals is preferably the methylene group. Benzyl as well as phenyl can be up to tri-substituted or they can be unsubstituted. Substituents can be: methyl, ethyl, halogen, nitro, haloalkyl--preferably trifluoromethyl--or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,666 discloses arylsulfonyl alkenenitriles of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R and R' are selected from the class consisting of hydrogen or a hydrocarbon radical free of aliphatic unsaturation and containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and R and R' can be the same or different, Y is selected from the class consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, fluorine, hydrogen and alkyl radicals having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n represents an integer from 1 to 5, which inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.